Lee Mfg Sunland, ca
 

FYI Lee Mfg in Sunland "rebuilt" my steering box and power steering pump for my F250 - 2500 miles ago. The steering box still had play after I installed it. Now the pump shaft is wobbling and the fluid cavitating. No response to my email to them sent almost a month ago.

Really? Im looking at having them do mine and Ive read nothing but good stuff about them.

Im sure you already checked, but are you sure its the steering box and not something else? My Durango and Typhoon have all brand new components including the steering boxes and they still have play in the boxes. Maybe look at Red Head steering boxes http://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/

What year?

Yes, it's the box, they maybe only replaced the ball and not the worm gear. The steering wheel and shaft moves but nothing out the other side of the box.

It's a 73 F250.

They came highly recommended to me too, but since they didn't reply to my email obviously they don't care.

Have you played with the adjusting screw? They aren't just swap in and go, they need to be adjusted after install.

I tightened it up and even turned down all the way there is still play. I backed it off some per the Ford manual.
I was told it was set to specs when it left their shop.
Tightening down that screw just pushes the ball into the worm gear, if the sides of the gear are worn either a oversize ball or a new worm gear needs to be installed. I don't think they did either.

Can you tell if they did anything? Maybe they just inadvertently tagged something as complete that they didn't even hardly touch. (Bad process, but not necessarily bad intent/workmanship?)

There's no way the box can be pre adjusted if its not on the truck. That would be like preadjusting caster camber plates

If they have the right equipment they can be adjusted before hand. I know Red Head has some sort of machine or setup that allows them to adjust it properly.

No way, that's an alignment thing. It can be close, but just like anything steering related, it has to be adjusted after. Red Head themselves even offer adjustment instructions. I know cause I put on on my old truck and had to adjust it afterwards cause it was WAY too tight.